No Rest for the Wicked
by Teddy Legendary
Summary: The power to move from one plane of existence to another. It is a power sought by many and achieved by few. What happens when one of the best villains of all time gains this awesome power? Find out. First story. R&R. AU. Possible Cross-overs later.


Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of the characters mentioned although I do think that they are super awesome amazing.

The night was perfectly clear with stars shining bright and a full moon above the small town of Kosva. However, the night was far from peaceful. Fires raged as the screams of the dying flooded the air. The old Mythos Mansion stood ominously and untouched beyond the wreckage of the the town. Cloud knew this is where _he_ was hiding. Without a second's hesitation, he charged past all of the wreckage and death toward the mansion. He burst through the old oak door.

"SEPHIROTH! Where are you, you monster?!"

An ominous voice filled the air.

"Cloud, you're late. What kept you? That ridiculous sword you carry?"

The ominous voice began to laugh.

"Quit making jokes," The laughter stopped, "and tell me where you are so that I can tear that voice box out of your throat!"

"Temper temper," the voice mocked, "but if you think that that's what's going to happen, by all means. All you have to do is find the right door. Shouldn't be too hard, there are only five thousand eight hundred seventy-two littered throughout this God forsaken place, but only one leads to me. Here, I'll give you a hint, it looks different then the rest."

Cloud's face twisted and contorted into a look of frustration and hatred.

"We don't have time to play your stupid games!"

"Oh," the voice responded in a quizzical tone. "I think you'll find that we have all the time in the world, or at least I do."

The voice laughed maniacally as it faded into nothing.

Cloud slammed his fist into the closest wall.

"Dammit! This is stupid, why can't he just fight me?! Why does there always have to be some stupid puzzle!?"

Cloud put his back to the wall and slid down with his face in his hand. He sat there for an eternity before he released what seemed like a thunderous sigh in the now silent entryway. He stood up and began to peer through the darkness and dust of the mansion. It was almost as if he had released all of his frustrations through his sigh.

"Well, better start looking around," Cloud thought out loud. "But the question is where to start."

For the first time Cloud started to look around and take in his surroundings. To say that the mansion was dirty would be an injustice to the six-inch layers of dust covering everything. The only thing Cloud could see was a hallway that seemed to go on forever. The candlesticks littering the hallway were not lit, making the only source of light the intense fire shining through a couple windows. Down the hallway there were doors, lots of doors on both sides all the way down the hallway.

Cloud let out another loud sigh as he begrudgingly began his trek down the endless hallway. Making sure he looked closely at every door to spot any detail that might stick out, he made it past three hundred seventy-two doors, - he counted – before coming across a conspicuous light coming from under one of the doors. He walked closer to the door to examine it to realize that it was a wide doorway with two doors.

"You're joking," Cloud said in a rather annoyed tone. He opened the door and walked into the room. "It's almost as if he wanted me to find him."

"You got that right."

In a flash, Cloud and Sephiroth were in fighting stances with their swords crossed, their faces inches apart.

The two were fighting in the mansion's library. It was an immense room with countless numbers of books on bookshelves lining every wall. There was a small table in the center of the room surrounded by small chairs that was used as a place to read and relax.

"What.. do.. you.. want from me?!" Cloud grunted being pushed back by Sephiroth's strength.

Sephiroth pushed even harder. "Your sword."

The two jumped away from each other.

Cloud was puzzled. "My sword? What could you possibly want with my sword?"

"That is none of your concern," Sephiroth responded.

"Well now, I can't just let you borrow it without knowing what you're gonna do with it can I?"

"So, is that a 'no'?"

"As a matter of fact," Cloud began, "it is."

"Well then," Sephiroth said as he prepared to strike again, "I'll just have to take it from you."

"You can try," said Cloud doing the same.

The two clashed in the center of the room with an explosion of energy that completely annihilated the poor wooden table that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Cloud brought his sword back for a second strike.

"You make it too easy."

Before Cloud could even figure out what was going on, Sephiroth had disappeared. Cloud searched frantically for his foe as a large gash appeared diagonally across his chest.

Dropping down to one knee and using his sword as support, Cloud realized what had happened. Turning his head to face Sephiroth.

"You've gotten much stronger since our last encounter."

Sephiroth slowly sheathed his sword and turned around to face Cloud. "Are you admitting defeat?"

"Never!"

"I'm sorry to hear that," Sephiroth responded with his eyes shut. "Then I have no choice," he said as he changed into an attack stance, "but to destroy you."

"I will stop you," Cloud said struggling to his feet.

_Slash!_

Before Cloud had even raised his sword, Sephiroth had cut him and they both knew it was over.


End file.
